Crystalline aluminophosphates are well known materials which find a promising reception in industry as new generations of molecular sieves, catalyst carriers as well as catalysts.
Crystalline aluminophosphates include, inter alia, crystalline compounds in the SAPO.sub.4 (siliconaluminophosphate), MeAPO.sub.4 (metalloaluminophosphate) and ElAPO.sub.4 (non-metal substituted aluminophosphate) families.
In European Patent No. 43 562 the preparation of various crystalline aluminophosphates is described from starting mixtures containing inter alia organic structure directing or templating agents. In Example 51 of said patent specification it is described that an aluminophosphate, designated AlPO.sub.4 -21, can be prepared by keeping a starting mixture, comprising N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl ethylene diamine, at a temperature of 200.degree. C. for 168 hours.
It has now been found that novel crystalline aluminophosphates, e.g. of the SAPO.sub.4 and MeAPO.sub.4 -type, may be prepared from starting mixtures when use is made of the appropriate forming components, the required forming conditions and the appropriate organic template.